Sullivan, Martin Napoleon's Undefeated Marshal

Louis Davout and the Art of Leadership

The War of 1809 between France and Habsburg Austriawhich culminated in the massive Battle of Wagramhas often been described as Napoleons last successful campaign. Napoleon later remarked that the maneuvers and operations of the French army, as well as those of its German allies, during the first two weeks of this conflict ranked among the most brilliant and skillful of his entire career. Yet the course of events could easily have turned out quite differently. A series of miscalculations, errors, and communication breakdownsboth in the run-up to the Austrian declaration of war and during the initial days of combatcould well have spelled a severe setback, if not outright disaster, for the French Emperor. That this did not come to pass is due in large measure to the decisions and actions of Marshal Louis Davoutthe so-called "Iron Marshal." This is the first English-language study of Marshal Davouts command and leadership style in over fifty years. Little known outside of France, Louis Davout was one of the most capable generals in Napoleons armya fact impressively demonstrated by his crushing victory over the main Prussian force at Auerstedt in October 1806. A strictindeed, at times harshenforcer of discipline and an absolutely ruthless adversary on the battlefield, Davout was simultaneously a devoted family man who cared meticulously for the health and well-being of his troops and who managed to secure the loyalty of his divisional commanders for far longer than any of his contemporaries. In this study, Martin Sullivan details Marshal Davouts decision-making processes and actions, using this analysis to illustrate leadership concepts and theories that remain just as relevant in todays world. With a focus on the initial phase of the Wagram Campaign, he examines in depth the decisions and actions of the key figures involved: Davout, his adversary Archduke Charles, and Napoleon himself. In this way, the art of leadershipin its practical application amidst an intense and deadly conflictbecomes immediately palpable.